Bird Opening

The Dutch with an extra move

Sharp play

White begins with f2-f4. The move takes control of e5 at once and prepares play on the kingside. It is the Dutch Defence in White's hands: the same skeleton, one move ahead. People choose it because there is little theory and Black has to think for himself. The price is one weakened point: White's own kingside is slightly loosened.

Interactive Opening Board

7…Nbd7

♚

Black

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White

7…Nbd7

Speed:

Moves

(14 plies • 7 moves)

7…Nbd7Tabiya

The d7 knight also aims at e5. Black disputes the key square. Both kings are still in the centre, and both sides follow their plans.

1–7moves
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1.f4 The f-pawn steps forward and takes control of e5. White gives up a quick central build-up for play on the kingside. This is the Bird Opening.

1…d5 Black takes the centre. The game becomes a reversed Dutch.

2.e3 The e3 pawn opens the road for the f1 bishop and supports d4.

2…Nf6 The knight comes to f6 and watches e4, a square Black would like to use as an outpost.

3.b3 White prepares to fianchetto the queen's bishop. From b2 it will look at e5 and on towards the kingside.

3…e6 Black shores up the d5 pawn and frees the f8 bishop.

4.Bb2 The bishop settles on the long diagonal and, with the f4 pawn, strengthens the grip on e5.

4…Be7 The bishop prepares castling.

5.Bd3 The bishop goes to d3 and aims at Black's kingside while the king is still in the centre.

5…b6 Black answers in the same way with a queen's bishop fianchetto.

6.Nc3 The knight guards e4 and may later go to e2 and g3, on the way towards e5.

6…Bb7 The b7 bishop presses on e4 and waits for the centre to open.

7.Nf3 The f3 knight prepares a jump to e5 and clears the way for castling.

7…Nbd7 The d7 knight also aims at e5. Black disputes the key square. Both kings are still in the centre, and both sides follow their plans.

Defining move

1.f4 — the f-pawn instead of e or d

The move that makes this the Bird Opening

The f4 pawn holds e5 and prepares a knight on e5 and the advance f4-f5. There is a price: the e1-h4 diagonal and the e3 square become more vulnerable, and the king has less cover. White accepts the risk for a game in which Black must find his own way.

Tabiya

Bird with the queen's bishop fianchetto

White has built f4, e3 and b3 and put the bishops on b2 and d3. Black has answered with a Queen's Indian type of set-up: d5, e6, b6, bishops on e7 and b7. Neither king has castled yet. White wants a knight on e5 and an attack on the kingside. Black wants to dispute e5 and get play with …c5 and …Ne4.

The centre

A fight for the e5 square

White has pawns on f4, e3 and b3, with the d-pawn still at home. Black has d5, e6 and b6. White's weak spots are the e1-h4 and a7-g1 diagonals and the e4 square, which no pawn covers.

Key squarese5e4f4

Outposts

e5White's knight
The e5 square is covered by the f4 pawn and the b2 bishop. A knight there aims at Black's kingside, so Black wants to trade it.
e4The black knight's square
White's pawns do not control e4. A black knight there would restrain the f-pawn. White holds the square with the c3 knight and the d3 bishop.

Thematic breaks

Ne5White
The jump Ne5
Take the central square that the f4 pawn and the b2 bishop guard.
What follows: A knight on e5 aims at Black's kingside. Black usually trades it off, but then White gets a strong bishop for the attack.
f5White
The f4-f5 advance
Strike at the e6 pawn and open the f-file for the rook.
What follows: If the strike works, White gets open lines against the king. If not, the pawn is left without support.
c5Black
The …c7-c5 strike
Hit the centre and open the game against the b2 and d3 bishops.
What follows: Black gains space and opens a road for the queen and rook, but must watch the bishop aimed at h7.

White’s plan

Hold e5 with the f4 pawn and the b2 bishop, then put a knight there.
Develop, castle and bring a knight round via e2 and g3.
Attack the kingside: Qe2, Nh5 and sacrifices on h7 while the black king is there.

Black’s plan

Take the centre with d5 and e6 and dispute e5 with the d7 knight.
Strike with …c5 and put a knight on e4.
Use the weakened diagonals around White's king and trade off the knight on e5 in time.

History

The opening is named after the Englishman Henry Bird, who played 1.f4 in the nineteenth century. In the twentieth, Bent Larsen came back to it. A famous game with it is Lasker against Bauer, Amsterdam 1889: it began with f4, e3, b3 and Bb2 just as in this study, and ended with a double bishop sacrifice on h7 and g7.